Bone loss

Bone loss

The loss of bone is a very serious ailment, being unsightly and painful, and sometimes resulting in the loss of teeth and the ability to chew. Aside from this it can also be a telling sign of much more serious diseases, and should be treated immediately upon discovery.

Periodontitis, or inflammation of the gums, is the leading cause of bone loss. Teeth are rooted in something called alveolar bone tissue. This tissue is relatively soft, and can be eaten away by bacteria and other microorganisms that usually live on your teeth as a result of eating food. The immune system reacts to these organisms in a very aggressive way, and this immune reaction causes the loss of said bone material. This causes the bone to be unsuitable for implantation. If Periodontitis goes unchecked, it can result in ulcers and lesions forming inside of your mouth, and may increase risk for heart disease or stroke.

There are several reasons for the sudden loss of bone material. Cysts, or any sorts of infections at the bone level, can cause the spongy bone material to be eaten away by the causes of the infection. An untreated root canal treatment, or one that is badly performed, or stopped halfway, can also be the cause of this disease. Similar bone loss can occur if you have a tooth that is missing entirely, root structure and all, for a long period of time. Normally, the force of chewing on a tooth’s root structure tends to keep this soft tissue from becoming inanimate and collapsing, but when the tooth is gone and no such force exists, the bone cannot keep itself from shrinking. Bone loss is a disease that tends to affect the elderly more than other people, and people suffering from bone diseases tend to be more vulnerable to the disease than younger people.